Gen 18,20-32; Sal 137 (138); Col 2,12-14; Lc 11,1-13
Homily of July the 24th, 2022 by br. Salvatore Di Fazio, OP.
“I shall not destroy it for the sake of the ten”. May the Lord find among us at least 10 righteous ones, otherwise we won’t make it to lunch! But who are the righteous ones who can prevent the destruction of Sodom?
The term righteous simply means the one who does justice; in biblical language, however, the righteous is the holy one; St. Joseph is righteous (cf. Mt 1:19). Par excellence, of course, righteous is God.
Are we righteous?
St. Paul reminds us (cf. Rom. 4) that Abraham was considered righteous not because of works, not because of circumcision, in fact he was not yet circumcised, but he was found righteous because he “believed God,” believed in his mercy, “believed, firm in hope against all hope,” believed even though it all seemed to be over now.
After a week of work, we may have many just reasons not to be optimistic about the effectiveness of the work we are doing. Looking, in fact, on some of the proposals already made 3 years ago or even earlier, we realize that little progress has been made. Optimism falls away. Why continue this work if little will change?
I am reminded of the Pink Floyd song “Wish you were Here”: “We are just two lost souls. Swimming in a fishbowl. Year after year. Running over the same old ground. What have we found? The same old fears. Wish you were here.”
You people are wicked!
Is all lost? Is there no longer an Abraham to defend us from divine judgment?
Luke’s Gospel delivered to us our Lord’s prayer and an explanation: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation!”
Probably some plans were not realized because of those who came before us, but it is our duty to be merciful to those who came before us if we desire the same mercy for the mistakes we will make. In the same prayer we must ask the Father to preserve us from the temptation of despair.
The despairing person is one who no longer hopes for the desired good because of excessive despondency (cf. STh II-II,20,4), he is a perfect optimist who wished to accomplish everything by his own hands; in short, he is a presumptuous person.
Christ’s perspective is different: ask the Father for the Holy Spirit and He will give it.
Not everything depends on our own strength and not everything is fulfilled in the times we desire, as our brother Oscar reminded us yesterday, but it is the Holy Spirit who gives us the intimate certainty that God’s plan is always fulfilled, fulfilled in the time he desires and in the way he decides. And it is this that transforms us from romantic optimists into hopeful, confident realists. We do not rely on our own strength but on the Lord of history.
What then is up to us?
It is up to us to pray to our advocate Jesus Christ, who stands before the face of the Father, to grant us His Spirit so that we can understand the times we are living in and find the solutions He wants.
Br. Salvatore Di Fazio, OP.
